Feeding the "Old fashioned way"

[ChickenCanoe]

Chickens do eat a lot of ticks.

You're in MS too so that makes a big difference in how much forage they can get. There's very little here from November to late March.

 

[curtisbirds]

Your area can be a major contributing factor also I agree. I lived in WI for six years a couple decades ago on a farm and the chickens and other livestock did require lots of feed in the winter months, but even here in Mississippi between November and march it is slim if any pickings, so I coop up during that time. We have snow and ice as well and below freezing temperatures, last year was extremely rough, allot of warm ups one day and freeze overs the next. It killed my husband's prize rose bush early spring. I even put a heat lamp in with the chickens because I'd walk in the coop and their water would be frozen solid and the floor would be covered in little frozen poop balls to slip on.

 

[Fentress]

I would not underestimate the amount of food available during the winter. If anything, they can get some excercise by being out. I am in Climate Zone 8, and the ground froze hard the past two winters, usually that does not happen. I have seen them feast on earthworms during cold weather, after a rain. In general, I think they pick up more food than we realize. I always sow annual rye in my over winter area and have a cover crop ready come March for them to snack on.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Again, it depends on your climate. The ground was absolutely barren here last winter. They could pick up some rocks I guess. The year before, it was covered with snow all winter. So I guess they can eat snow.

 

[curtisbirds]

It also depends highly on your size of area and the condition your land and the surrounding lands are in. We have only been in Mississippi for two years, we're originally from southwest Louisiana, so it's all a new experience again just for the climate change for me. The two winters we've been here, the temps have gotten and stayed low enough for mass pipe freezes throughout the tri-state area, you couldn't find replacement pipe anywhere. So it was obvious to me this was out of the ordinary but this is what I have to work with, if next winter is milder it would be extremely helpful for me.

 

[shortgrass]

This is a great read! Im starting a new free range laying flock, and i dont use commercial feed..AT ALL. Completely organic, and the pastures have been well prepared...in winter, i keep a lot of grains on hand, but i also have a 2500 acre ranch to supply feed so that's not really fair.... In my experience, finding seasonal grains can help with expense..ie, buy big when thr market is low on grains like corn or sorghum...dont forget chooks can use dry legumes and greens..alfalfa, oatgrass, wheat grass.... Making your own fodder is an option if you want to make more of the seed grain....hop ober here and see if you find any more possibilities... Nice to meet you!https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/990759/chickens-in-permaculture

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm not unlike you in the respect that I like to do things the "old-fashioned" way. My theory on chicken keeping is that I try to do it the same way my Grandmother did. She was successful using deep litter so I use (and love) deep litter. She had no clue what DE was and didn't use it so I don't use it, either. She was successful and I try to mimic her ways.

About a year into chicken keeping, it hit me that I can't duplicate all my grandmother's conditions. She could let her chickens free range as everyone did it so neighbors didn't complain. Sure, she'd lose a few every once in a while to a predator but she kept a larger flock. She constantly replenished her flock as it was okay for her to have roosters so she had broody's raising chicks every spring. She not only had chickens for eggs, she used them for meat and those that were no longer laying were destined for the stew-pot. She fed them a handful of cracked corn and kitchen left-overs but the majority of their diet was from free ranging.

I still try to do things her way but within my own constraints of not being able to have a large free-ranging flock. Because of that, I do feed a layer feed. I supplement with garden leftovers to try to mimic the greens that they'd be getting if they free-ranged and doing deep litter in the run gives them a pretty good supply of bugs and worms. Those truly living on a farm can duplicate my Grandma's conditions but I can't so I have to compromise. Feeding them a layer feed is part of that compromise. I sure wish I had the space for it to be different.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

If you want to raise chickens the old fashioned way you need old-fashioned chickens. What breed are you raising? Some do better the "old-fashioned" way than others.

I might have suggestions on their diet. Are you planning on growing or buying it for them? Or both?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If you want to raise chickens the old fashioned way you need old-fashioned chickens. What breed are you raising? Some do better the "old-fashioned" way than others.
I might have suggestions on their diet. Are you planning on growing or buying it for them? Or both?

Exactly - the chickens of "yester-year" were not nearly what the modern breeds have been morphed into. Chickens in those days, for example, had production rates that were lower than that of today's modified specimens - that extra production requires additional nutritional support that was not needed by/available to the chickens of old, which is reflected in the lower production. Additionally, the birds then that were able to sustain themselves were doing so in a setting that is very different from what is available to most folks these days with regards to appropriate forage in the amounts that would provide sufficient nutrition. The ecological diversity was much greater before we humans came up with all our great ideas as to how we could "improve" things.

 

[shortgrass]

Exactly - the chickens of "yester-year" were not nearly what the modern breeds have been morphed into.  Chickens in those days, for example, had production rates that were lower than that of today's modified specimens - that extra production requires additional nutritional support that was not needed by/available to the chickens of old, which is reflected in the lower production.  Additionally, the birds then that were able to sustain themselves were doing so in a setting that is very different from what is available to most folks these days with regards to appropriate forage in the amounts that would provide sufficient nutrition.  The ecological diversity was much greater before we humans came up with all our great ideas as to how we could "improve" things.

Not always an improvement huh? I was recommended game fowl for my free range project...and i can see why and definitely am looking at breeders/breeds.... Are the English and American game pretty much the same? The Americans seem to be bred mainly for "show"... I can see using a less hybridized bird would fare better for the bird, with the loss of production... But still better to look into something that can forage and scrounge more like a " wild" chicken...saves on feed costs

Oh sorry if i just hijacked that lol, but ya'll brought up the point of breeds......